Research on Interactive Discourse of Local Food Culture Programs from the Perspective of Pragmatic Empathy - Taking Yanbian, Jilin as an Example

Abstract

Local food culture programs are increasingly serving as vital mediums for cultural communication and identity construction. However, from the perspective of pragmatic empathy, the interactive discourse within these programs—particularly the mechanisms of emotional resonance and cognitive connection between participants and audiences—remains underexplored. This study investigates the interactive discourse in a food culture program based in Yanbian, Jilin Province, utilizing a corpus-assisted discourse analysis approach. The findings reveal that pragmatic empathy in program interactions relies primarily on three mechanisms: the empathetic projection of indexical language, demonstrated through the flexible switching of inclusive personal pronouns; the collaborative application of emotional tags; and the strategic conversion of linguistic codes. Together, these mechanisms enable communicating parties to establish a shared cognitive and emotional stance. Furthermore, the research demonstrates that pragmatic empathetic discourse fulfills a significant sociocultural function in regional cultural communication. It not only facilitates the effective promotion of Yanbian ethnic food culture but also bridges the psychological distance between local residents and external audiences, thereby strengthening cultural identity and emotional bonds. Theoretically, linguistic empathy functions both as an interactive discourse strategy and as a crucial mechanism for advancing the effective transmission of local culture. These findings offer valuable theoretical insights and practical implications for optimizing the discourse construction and cultural communication of local programs within cross-cultural contexts.